ISTANBUL

Japan has successfully launched a rapid innovative technology demonstration satellite, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said in a statement.

According to JAXA, the satellite-4 or RAISE-4 was launched on Sunday by US firm Rocket Lab aboard an Electron rocket from the company’s spaceport Complex1 in New Zealand.

The satellite was jointly developed by private companies, universities, and research institutions throughout Japan.

“This dedicated mission delivered precision and reliability for one of the world’s most respected space agencies, and we couldn’t be prouder of supporting JAXA with the dedicated access to space needed to support the growth of Japan’s aerospace economy,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO.​​​​​​​

Previously such demonstration satellites were launched using Japan's small Epsilon rockets, which failed in 2023.